Final pleas for India flights

VIRGIN Atlantic, British Airways and BMI return to court today for the second and final day of the Civil Aviation Authority’s scarce capacity hearing over 21 extra UK-India flights.

It will be the first time three airlines have gone head to head in the CAA’s quasi-courtroom. Each will put forward a case for winning the capacity to a panel chaired by CAA Economic Regulation Group head Dr Harry Bush. A decision is due by December 3.

Virgin wants 18 of the flights. If successful, it will launch daily Delhi and Mumbai services and four weekly flights to Bangalore. It currently flies thrice-weekly Heathrow to Delhi in codeshare with Air India.

BA is bidding for all 21 of the flights to add to its 19 weekly services. It wants to ramp up its daily Delhi and Mumbai flights to twice daily, its twice-weekly Chennai services to six-weekly, and hopes to launch a thrice-weekly Bangalore service. If it succeeds, it will keep its thrice-weekly Calcutta programme.

BMI said its competitive fares provide it with an “overwhelming case”.